The Chemistry of Fire
by rlu1
Summary: Sequel to Playing With Fire. Carol's voice came from somewhere through the flames: "You can't protect us, Khan. You're a failure." At these words, Khan's heart burned ferociously. A furious roar erupted from his throat. She was burning alive, her golden-hair turning smoky black, her skin melting. Carol/Khan pairing. Rated M for violence, language, and sexual content.
1. Preface

_**This is the sequel to Playing With Fire (which can be found on my profile). Thank you to everyone who supported that story, and encouraged me to continue on with this one. Also, thank you to everyone who has submitted prompts so far. You are awesome! :)**_

**_Disclaimer: This is a work of Fanfic containing characters from the Star Trek: Into Darkness world. As much as I wish I did, I do not own these characters. Nor do I own the STID world. This story is for entertainment purposes only._**

**_Enjoy! :)_**

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_Carol would always remember when it happened. And though it had occurred in a less than romantic setting - on a tiny escape pod travelling through the middle of nowhere - it would forever be the most special, precious moment of her life._

_She would never forget how it had happened either. She had been slumbering on the bed, golden hair falling gently around her cheeks and curling under her chin. Though her right knee was throbbing painfully, her thoughts were peaceful. The image of a small, steady fire encased in a glass hearth licked throughout her dreams. And then there was a warmth enwrapping her swollen knee and her calm blue eyes fluttered open to find a large, pale hand resting on her leg._

_"This will only hurt a little," Khan said in a quiet tone, his blue eyes studying Carol's knee as his free hand lowered a syringe to her bruised flesh._

_Carol drew back slightly at the sight of the sharp needle and the deep red liquid that filled the syringe. When she spoke, her voice was sharper than she had intended it to be. "What are you doing?"_

_Khan's hand faltered and suddenly his icy eyes were locked on Carol's face. His eyebrows furrowed slightly in agitation as he said curtly, "Do you trust me?"_

_"Of course."_

_Khan returned to examining Carol's injured knee. "Well then, you must trust me now. I am going to inject your knee with my blood to speed up the healing process." And with a confident and quick movement, he had inserted the needle into Carol's skin and squeezed out the deep red contents. His sharp eyes softened as he moved forward and brushed Carol's forehead with a kiss. "Now relax. You will feel better soon."_

_Carol smiled at the warmth of the kiss and settled back down against the pillows, watching Khan disappear into the bathroom to rinse the syringe in the sink. Suddenly, her knee began to tingle; it was not a painful sensation, but it was not exactly pleasant either. Then the tingle turned into a feeling of heat, of boiling syrup wrapping around her cartilage. As Carol watched with curiosity, the bruises around her knee disappeared. The purple colour faded to pink turned to peach and finally (miraculously) transformed into healthy skin._

_"Stand up."_

_The deep voice startled Carol and when she turned, she noticed that Khan had finished cleaning the syringe and was now standing in the doorframe with a small smirk of amusement teasing his lips._

_"Stand up," he repeated._

_Carol hesitated for a second but when she felt no sharp jabs of pain radiating through her knee, she obeyed Khan's command. As soon as she stood, she discovered that her knee felt better than it had in years. More limber and fluid. As if it could carry her for miles and miles without tiring. She looked at the superhuman with wonder but, at the sight of him, her breath caught in her throat._

_His eyes were practically radiating, his form taut and stiff. He was moving towards Carol with a desperately hungry desire on his face. Goosebumps raced across her neck. And then she was pushed backwards harshly, her breath erupting from her as her back made contact with the wall._

_Khan was planted on her. She could feel the contours of his muscles aching in lust against her form. He purred into her skin and the sound felt as hot as fire. Carol licked her lips, her cheeks flushing with need. The superhuman's voice was smoky and deep as he whispered, "I am going to have you." Goosebumps danced down Carol's arms and legs at electrifying speed._

_"Oh god, yes," she practically moaned, her hands finding their way under Khan's dark shirt. But before she could explore the pale skin of his abdomen, his long fingers grabbed her shoulders and threw her down with force onto the bed. She grunted and held back a laugh as she watched him pounce on her with a wild expression. Then clothes were flying in the air and he was in her, large and full and throbbing._

_They were one. One in rhythm, one in sweat, one one one. United in love as Khan spilled into Carol, hot and fiery and trembling trembling trembling. For that magical moment, he was her. In that unbreakable passion, she was him._

_And the golden-haired girl knew as she fell asleep in the strong, secure arms of her superhuman lover that he had planted himself within her in the fullest sense. That they had become one in the most intimate, wonderful way. That soon their family would grow from two to three. They had created something beautiful with the chemistry of fire._


	2. Distant Dreams

_**Wow, thank you so much for the support and love that you are already giving to this story. You are super fantastic and I am serious when I say that words cannot properly express my gratitude.**_

_**FYI, for those of you who are BBC Sherlock fans, I am currently in the process of writing a crossover between Star Trek: Into Darkness and Sherlock in which we will see what happens when Khan, Moriarty, and Sherlock all share DNA (hint: it is going to be dynamite!). The fanfic is called The Beast Within and can be found on my profile so be sure to check it out if you are a Sherlockian like me. I am hoping to update it in the next day or two. :)**_

**_Now, without further ado, let's continue with The Chemistry of Fire...enjoy! OOXX!_**

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Carol was five, heart pure, eyes shining with innocence, golden hair in bouncing pigtails. There was warmth and brightness all around her - sunshine tickling at her cheeks and her arms, friendly and soothing.

She was running. Laughing and running towards a man, her arms outstretched. As she got closer, she realized it was her father, Alexander Marcus. And he was laughing too, arms reaching for the little girl, eyes sparkling with tenderness, face young and relaxed.

"Daddy!" Carol cried out between giggles. Then she was in the safety of his arms and he was lifting her in the air, twirling her like a princess, holding her as if he would never ever let go.

"I love you, sweetheart," he whispered gently before kissing her cheek. But as his lips pulled away from her, his skin was no longer smooth and his eyes were no longer sparkly. Nor was Carol five and innocent; now her stomach was throbbing with child, despite the fact that she was newly pregnant. Alexander Marcus' cold eyes examined the baby bump with caution before travelling up to his daughter's face.

There was a painful silence as the man opened and closed his mouth in hesitation. "I'm sorry, Carol. Your mother. She hurt me so badly and I couldn't forgive her," he finally said, his voice regretful.

Carol stared at him in silence, her face expressionless but gentle.

Then her father's hand was on her stomach. A small smile lit his face with warmth before he asked, "Are you happy?"

Carol returned his smile and said in a voice seeped with honesty, "Yes."

Her father rubbed her baby bump tenderly, as if wishing to reach out to the small creation within. "Does he love you? The father of your child?"

Carol's smile widened and she was about to nod when she noticed Khan watching from a distance. Her heart fluttered with delight and she called to the superhuman. But her stomach flipped sickeningly when she saw him turn away.

"Khan?!" Her voice was strong but stern.

Without hesitation, the dark-haired man began to walk in the wrong direction.

"KHAN?!" Carol's throat had gone uncomfortably dry and, when she saw the superhuman's pace quicken, she panicked. Pushing her father aside, she began to run towards the retreating figure. But her legs would not carry her forward. She was running hard, she was running fast, yet she remained in the same place. She screamed Khan's name one last time but, by now, he had disappeared from sight.

As Carol crumbled to her knees in desperation, the voice of Alexander Marcus came from behind her, cruel and mocking. "That's the father of your child? You fell in love with a villian! You stupid freak. You are worse than your mother! And that thing inside you is a monster!" He began to laugh. It was a taunting, unnerving sound.

Carol's face was in her hands. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" she spat through gritted teeth, pulling at her hair in agony. "Shut up...I hate you...you're wrong...shut up!"

And then the laughter ceased and Marcus' voice became thin, ragged, childlike, and full of pity. "You're all alone, Carol."

At the sudden change in the man's tone, Carol turned to look at her father. He was young once again, his skin soft and free of wrinkles, his eyes gentle and loving. He was keeled over and there was blood leaking from his chest. A bullet wound. He was bleeding to death. She tried to crawl to his side, but once again found herself helplessly unable to move.

"Please….please don't leave me alone. Please…I can't take care of this baby on my own, " Carol begged, close to tears.

Marcus' breath came in rasps and his face was taut with pain. "Why did you shoot me, Carol? Can't you forgive me? Can't you absolve me of the hurt that I have caused you? I love you, darling. You're my little girl and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I blamed you for your mother's wrongs. Please can we talk about the past? Please can you listen to my side of the story?"

At these words, tears began to tumble from Carol's eyes and she wrapped her arms around herself protectively. But before she could answer, the man writhed, stretched his arms wide, threw his head back, eyes lifted to the skies and mouth open grotesquely, before his innards exploded in an uproar of blood, bone, skin, muscle, and flesh. Then the world fell into blackness. There was nothing but dark, dank, cold air and Carol was falling down it, into it, suffocating until…

…with a breathless tremble, she shot up into the painful, blinding, welcome light of the escape pod. She was in bed, under the protection and comfort of a down quilt. With a sigh of relief, she realized that it had all been a dream - nothing more. Her stomach was small once again - tender to the touch but yet to show signs of a baby bump. And she was not alone. No, she was certainly not alone. Khan - _her_ Khan - was sitting at the edge of the bed, his warmth radiating through her feet. Her powerful protector. She felt slightly guilty for doubting him in her dreams, and she was filled with the deepest desire to kiss him.

But when she came to rest next to him and looked into his face, she realized with horror that she was much more alone than she had first thought - for, though the man before her was present in body, his eyes were distant and murky, as if his thoughts were light years away from the golden-haired girl who had saved his life and who loved him with all her heart.


	3. You Can't Protect Us

When Carol's behaviour first began to shift, Khan had been filled with uneasy confusion. But when he witnessed her tired form curled up around the vomit-covered toilet bowl, the puzzle pieces came crashing together - from the way she would huff in pain when he grabbed her breasts too roughly, to how the food supply had started to dwindle with increasing speed, to the fact that she had taken to sleeping hours on end.

At first the superhuman was ecstatic at the thought of their family growing from two to three. One reason for his elation was his surprising but undeniable affection for the golden-haired girl. It sent his stomach churning uneasily when he admitted to himself that he cared about her more deeply and fully than he ever had his crew mates. He adored Carol in every way possible - he wanted her to be happy, he wanted her to feel loved, he wanted her physically and, oh how he wanted her sexually. When it came to his crew, his care had been just as powerful though it had focused solely on their well-being; as their ruler, he had felt a certain responsibility to keep them safe. This responsibility was intensified by the fact that they were the only ones of their kind in the universe. And Khan could never truly forgive himself or erase the pain of having failed his people to the point that only he remained.

This sense of guilt tied into the second (more selfish) reason for Khan's elation at Carol's pregnancy. As he watched Carol's stomach grow, he realized that he could begin to rebuild his family, his crew, his people. While Carol was not a superhuman, she was still utterly brilliant, confident, and brave and, therefore, any children that the two of them created would undoubtedly be exceptional. Perhaps one day he and his new family would take up the work that he and his crew had started before their cryogenic slumber - the large but fulfilling duty of cleansing the galaxy of its wrongs. Though his heart would always be filled with regret for his lost crew, this regret now shared space with feelings of peace. Peace at the thought of rebuilding his family.

Khan watched Carol as she slumbered on the bed, her chest rising and falling slowly and steadily. His usually ice cold eyes softened and a genuine smile appeared where his lips were generally tight and stern. Not wanting to disturb the weapons specialist from her sleep, the superhuman sat at the foot of the bed. As he stared out the window at the vast expanse of darkness and starlight, he allowed hopeful thoughts to envelop his mind. He closed his eyes; though he did not require sleep to function, his turmoiled heart was filled with a peace that he had not felt for far too long and so he let himself drift into slumber.

At first, his dreams were gentle - he was floating through a thick, heavy syrup, sweet to the taste and soothing to the skin. Carol was travelling along in front of him, a sticky smile on her lips as she called his name and beckoned him to follow her. And he was getting close to her. So close that he could practically smell her soothing scent when a flame erupted between them...and then another...and then another until Carol was engulfed in fire and her playful calls turned into cries for help. Khan lunged forward towards the flames and suddenly, unexpectedly, he was pulled down, down, down into the syrup...drowning...suffocating. He was strong enough - he _should_ be strong enough - to burst out of the thick substance, and yet for some reason his body throbbed with weakness and he flailed helplessly.

Finally, his lungs screeching in agony, he burst from the syrup and searched desperately for golden-hair - but the sight that greeted him made him reel with nausea. Before him were 72 torpedoes, engulfed in flames and utterly destroyed. Decapitated heads, torn limbs, and fractured bones were floating through the syrup towards Khan...and then Carol's wrecked and ravaged voice came from somewhere through the flames: "You can't protect us, Khan. You're a failure." At these words, Khan's heart burned ferociously, wrathfully, savagely. A furious roar erupted from his throat. Then, through the carcasses of the torpedoes, he saw her. She was burning alive, her golden-hair turning smoky black, her skin melting before his very eyes... and in her arms was a little baby, also burning to death. Khan hurried forward, horrified, bestial cries wracking his body, but it was too late - Carol and the baby were crumbling into ashes on the floor.

Khan was jolted awake, muscles stiff, body tense, and a horrifyingly tight fear suffocating his throat. He was still seated at the edge of the bed and, despite the fact that he could clearly see Carol slumbering peacefully and safely, he could not shake the cries of his dream from his ears, could still smell the putrid scent of burning skin. A deep, dank, unshakable cold filled his entire being and he found himself frozen, unable to move. He sunk into a miserable, fear-seeped trance and did not even notice when Carol woke up and crawled over to his side.

This long, painful silence was broken by the faint sound of an engine, so quiet that it reached only the superhuman's ears. Khan's glazed blue eyes pulled back into focus and glowed with agitation and alarm. He jumped from the bed, ran to the window, squinted in concentration at the horizon, and then sucked in a shaky breath. In the far distance his incredible eyesight could make out the outline of a ship - a ship that was headed right towards their escape pod and which bore the infamous Starfleet symbol. Khan swayed on his feet as the sounds of his dream once again filled his mind. _You can't save us, Khan. You're a failure. _He wrung his hands and hissed vehemently. _Yes, I _can_ protect you, Carol, and I _will_._

Suddenly he realized that Carol's hand was on his back, rubbing soothing circles along his muscles, and his heart melted when he witnessed her questioning, trusting expression. He placed his strong hands on her shoulders protectively, his icy eyes taking in every inch of her face - every gorgeous curve, every beautiful blemish. His voice carried firmly throughout the small room.

"We are not safe, Carol. We need to go and we need to go _now_."


End file.
